This invention relates generally to an ink cartridge and more particularly to an ink cartridge for a printing head of an ink jet printer.
As is shown in European Application EP-A-560 729, ink cartridges for ink jet printers may be formed with an opening in an end wall thereof into which a connector piece of a printing head can be sealingly inserted. The end of the connector piece is covered by a sieve which, upon insertion into the ink cartridge, slightly compresses a foam element impregnated with ink, so that ink is forced into the connector piece. However, it has been found that this apparatus is not always easily handled, and does not always supply ink reliably. Therefore, it has been proposed in European Application EP-A-560 729 to additionally install a pump in the housing of the ink cartridge to aid in reliably supplying the ink. However, this pump makes the ink cartridge very expensive.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an ink cartridge which is easily handled, which provides ink reliably and which is inexpensive.